Get a lift!

Oct 8, 2006, 02.31pm IST

Elevators are an integral part of every building and maintaining them properly is crucial for safetyWhat are your legal responsibilities as an elevator owner/Society?

To ensure that every elevator shall be of good mechanical construction, sound material, adequate strength, it should be properly maintained by an authorized company and thoroughly examined by a competent person of the same company, at least once in every six months, and a report of the same examination shall be prepared and kept for the records of society.

Every year a P.W.D. Inspector comes to check the necessary safety aspects of the elevator. At that time the examination report should be handy for him as well, so he can discuss any persistent problems with the maintenance contractor of your elevator.The legal responsibilities for ensuring that elevators are properly maintained rests upon either the occupier or the owner of the premises in which the elevators are installed. Every elevator owner should possess a valid license from P.W.D to operate and use the elevator.

Whom should you ask to carry out the thorough examination of your elevator and the maintenance of your elevator?

Trust only those who are into the maintenance business with adequate knowledge and experience of maintaining elevators. Today many companies have developed short cuts to get your maintenance contract but are not trustworthy . Before you sign for the maintenance contract or allow the company's person to do the thorough examination of your elevator , check for the following:The company's profile; the company's record of previously maintained elevators and their existing clients; the company's inventory for spares; the company's manpower and the mode of transportation of their service man; the company's network for service, and whether the company has a valid license to maintain the elevators.

How often should an elevator be serviced?

The frequency at which an elevator should be serviced is usually a month. Every maintenance contractor or company should have its own programme for 12 months; a stage-wise service should be done. But if the primary usage is high then the programme has to be re-scheduled as per the conditions. The environmental conditions are also important when we discuss Service Schedule.

What happens if your elevator breaks down?

Despite all the safety checks and services, your elevator could still break down either because of technical failure, misuse, power supply, failure of elevator components and so on. You should call your maintenance contractor and place the complaint and the nature of failure so that it helps the maintenance contractor to judge the problem or reason for failure and the time is saved to restart the elevator.Never allow any unauthorized person to enter your machine room during any period, this will always ensure your safety, and during break down may avoid an accident.

What happens if your elevator breaks down while carrying passengers ?

Every elevator owner or society should always ensure that appropriate persons located on the premises are trained in the procedures to be followed to release the trapped passengers . Every elevator manufacturer shall help you in this training. As a general rule, a person alone in a building should not use a elevator, but, where this is unavoidable, it is strongly recommended that a loud siren or telephone is provided in the elevator car.Never make the passengers inside get panicky, ensure them of the rescue that will come. Call for your maintenance contractor at the earliest and mention about the people stranded inside the elevator ; this will always alert the service.

What happens when the elevator becomes old?

Every Mechanical / Electrical part has its own life. The wear and tear makes it unsafe and unreliable for further usage. It will perform its duties but could fail at any time. Hence when your elevator maintenance contractor recommends some small or major repairs, follow them to ensure that the elevator is operated with all its safety . If any major repairs have to be done, call for the reputed and experienced companies to examine the elevator and decide on what exactly has been worn out.Sometimes societies recommend performing two out of seven items, but the wear and tear of the other five items will wear out the two new items quickly. Societies/ elevator owners should do all that is needful and necessary for your elevator.

What safety measures should you observe?

Check for all landing doors and car doors; they should not be open while the elevator is in motion. The elevator should stop to the exact level of landing in case of high speed and in case of single speed elevator it will either stop above or below the level depending upon the condition by not more than 2 to 3 inches up or down. Check for alarm device, and whether the cabin fan and light in your elevator work.

Always in case of frequent power failure ask your maintenance contractor to provide emergency battery back up light and siren. Never overload the elevator beyond its capacity as mentioned in your elevator. Always display the name and telephone number of the maintenance contractor in your elevator.Never allow the children to play with elevator this may cause an accident. Never allow the occupants to smoke inside the elevator this may cause a fire and may suffocate the fellow passengers .Always have a main power supply switch on the ground floor, which could be easily operated and known to all the daily users. Avoid carrying any hazardous material through elevators . Always display a copy of license in your elevator cabin.